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A. N. WOODRUPP. MANUSCRIPT HOLDER AND-SPACER. No. 601,112. Patented Mar. 22; 1898.

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machine to enable the operator to readily see UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT N. WOODRUFF, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

MANUSCRIPT HQLiDER AND SPACER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,112, dated March 22, 1898.

Application filed October 2, 1897- T0 at whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, ALBERT N. WOODRUFF, of the United States Engineers Corps, Willets Point, New York Harbor, have invented a new and Improved Manuscript Holder and Spacer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved manuscript holder and spacer more especially designed for the use of type-writers and arranged to securely hold the manuscript in place, to permit of readily turning the pages thereof, and to properly indicate the lines of writing as the copying progrosses.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is'a front elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same, parts being in section,on the line 3 3in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the same on the line 4 4: of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of part of the improvement on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

The improved manuscript holder and spacer is provided with a table or support A, hinged at its lower end to a base B, adapted to be placed on a desk adjacent to the type-writing the notes or other manuscript supported on the table A. The table A is held in an inclined position, and for this purpose a brace O is fulcrumed to the back of the said table and is provided at its free end with a hook O, engaging a lug B on the base B to hold the table Ain an inclined position and to permit of disconnecting the brace C from the lug B to fold the table A upon the said base when the device is not to be used.

The book, manuscript, or other copy is supported on the table A at the upper end thereof by a clamping-bar D, extending along the top edge of the said table and hung in the ends E of a frame E, fitted to slide in bearin gs on the back of the table A, the said frame Serial No. ssas'zit on model.)

being pressed on by springs F for holding the clamping-bar D down on the book or other copy extending over the top edge of the table A. (See Fig. 2.) V The frame Eis removably held in its bearings on the back of the table A to enable the operator to remove the clam ping-bar D whenever desired. The frame E is for this purpose fitted to slide loosely in recesses A, formed in flanges A"", attached to the back of the table A, the said flanges being each provided with a locking-bar A formed with recesses A adapted to engage the frame portions in the recesses A, so as to hold the frame in place and allow the latter to slide up and down in the bearings described.

Each locking-bar A is pivoted at A to the flange A and is adapted to be locked thereto by a suitable pin A, which when removed permits of swinging the bar A outward into the position shown in Fig. 5 to disengage the frame and to allow of moving said frame out of the recesses in the flanges A The lower end of the frame E is formed with a handle E adapted to be taken hold of by the operator to push the frame upward, so as to lift the clamping-bar D off the book or other copy to allow of removing the same from the table when desired or for introducing a new copy. When the operator releases the handle E the springs F force the frame downward, and with it the clamping-bar D, so that the latter presses on the book and holds it in place on the table, the leaves of the book extending over the front of the table to be within sight of the operator.

When a page of the manuscript has been copied, then the operator can readily swing the same over the clamping-bar D to the rear thereof without releasing the clamping bar from the book, it being understood that the manuscript is only removed after the desired copy has been made.

Now in order to indicate the lines of the manuscript I provide a spacing or line plate G, mounted on a rod H and secured to a slide I, fitted to slide up and down on a guideway A formed on one side of the table A. A spring G presses on the plate G, so as to hold the inner edge thereof in firm contact with the front page of the manuscript resting against the table A. The slide I extends to the rear of the table A, as plainly indicated in Fig. 3, and on the rear portion of the said slide are fulcrumed pawls J and K, arranged one alongside the other and pressed on by springs J and K, secured to the slide I. The pawls J and K are in mesh with two rackbars L and N, respectively, of which the rackbar L is fixed to the back of the table A,while the other rack-bar N is fitted to slide in suitable bearings in the said table and is provided at its lower end with a finger-piece N, projecting to the front of the table A at the lower edge thereof, so as to be under the control of the operator. The pawls J and K are provided with fin ger-pieces J 2 and K of which the finger-piece K overlaps the fingerpiece J so that when the operator presses the finger-piece K both pawls J and K are moved simultaneously out of mesh with the rack-bars L and N to allow of shifting the slide I upward back to a starting position.

Now when the device is in use and the operator presses on the finger-piece N then a downward sliding motion is given to the rackbar N until it comes to a stop by abutting with its lowermost tooth against the lower bearing for the rack-bar. (See Fig. The downward sliding motion of the rack-bar N carries the pawl K along, and as the latteris pivoted on the slide I it is evident that the said slide also moves in a downward direction, and with it the plate G, the entire downward movement being the distance between two lines on the manuscript or copy, as the distance between the lower or stop tooth of the rack-bar N and the stop-bearing corresponds to the distance between two lines on the copy or manuscript. \Vhen the operator releases the pressure on the finger-piece N, then a spring N connected with the rack-bar N, draws the latter upward back to its former position; but as the pawl J engages the fixed rack-bar L the slide I remains stationary during this return movement of the rack-bar N. The pawl K glides over the teeth of the rackbar N during the return or upward movement of the said rack-bar N.

In using the device the plate G stands with its upper edge along the bottom of the line of the copy or manuscript, thus leaving this line exposed, but covering up the next following line, and it is evident that when the operator has finished reading the exposed line of the manuscript or copy then the finger-piece N is pressed to shift the plate G downward to uncover the next following line and bring the writing on this line into plain view of the operator. It is understood that by the arrangement described it only requires a slight pressure on the part of the operator. on the fingerpiece N to shift the spacing-plate G in a desired direction.

It will be evident that this spacing device is very simple in construction and is not liable to get out of order.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A manuscript holder and spacer, a support or table for the manuscript or copy, a slide fitted to move on bearings arranged at one side of the table, the said slide extending to the rear of the table, aspring-pressed lineplate pivoted on the front face of the slide and extending across the said table, a fixed rack-bar at the rear of the table, a springpressed rack-bar movable alongside the said fixed rack-bar, and provided at its lower end with a finger-piece projecting to the front of the table, and independent pawls pivoted on the rear portion of the said slide and in mesh with the said rack-bars, each of the pawls being provided with a finger-piece of which the finger-piece of one pawl overlaps the fingerpiece of the other pawl, substantially as shown and described.

2. A manuscript holder and spacer provided with a table for the manuscript, a clampingbar operating in conjunction with the upper edge of the said table, and a spring-pressed frame fitted to slide on the back of the table, and removably connected therewith and with the said clamping-bar, substantiallyas shown and described.

ALBERT N. XVOODRUFF. lVitnesses:

WILLIAM P. LA CROIX, JOHN W. CAKE. 

